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I Like My State—Am I Florida-Friendly?
You may have noticed that we talk about being “Florida-friendly” a lot around here. But what does that mean, anyway?
“Florida-friendly” describes a way of being that aims to have the least impact on the environment. Florida-friendly gardening strikes a balance between the beautiful landscaping you want and protection of the Florida environment through responsible management of your yard. It means using the right plant in the right place, watering efficiently, and taking other easy steps to a more sustainable future.
The Method: Florida Yards & Neighborhoods
The excess use of fertilizer, pesticides, and water in home landscapes can harm our fragile, unique ecosystems and precious, limited water supply. To address this threat, the University of Florida, in partnership with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, created Florida Yards & Neighborhoods (FYN) in the 1990s.
FYN is an education and outreach program that develops materials and tools for residents and developers statewide to make beautiful landscapes both easier to maintain and gentler on the environment—what we call Florida-friendly.
FYN focuses on simple gardening tips. The program also maintains a list of Florida-friendly plants, which homeowners can consult when they’re planning their landscapes.
Florida-Friendly in a Nutshell
Florida-friendly yards are also gardener-friendly yards.
They’re easy to create and maintain. And they can help you save money because they require fewer pesticides and less fertilizer and water.
Florida-friendly yards are bold, colorful, and healthy.
It can be a cinch to incorporate Florida-friendly techniques and elements into your daily gardening and lawn maintenance tasks. Choose from numerous plants, design schemes, and other elements for your Florida-friendly yard.
Florida-friendly yards help protect the environment.
Rain that falls on yards, roads, and parking lots can wash into streams, lakes, and bays, carrying pollutants like fertilizer, pesticides, soil, and oil. This runoff can upset the natural balance of our ecosystems, causing harm to native plants and animals. Florida-friendly yards help preserve Florida’s natural beauty and protect our natural resources.
Written by:
Sara Graddy
